Chapter 3: The path of light to Brahmaloka

अर्चिरादिना तत्प्रथितेः

arcirādinā tatprathiteḥ

The soul goes by the path that begins with the flame (archis), for that path is well known. The different Upanishads describe one path of the gods, devayana, and their accounts are to be combined.

वायुमब्दादविशेषविशेषाभ्याम्

vāyumabdādaviśeṣaviśeṣābhyām

From the year the soul goes to Vayu, the air, because one text mentions Vayu without specifying and another specifies its place. So Vayu is placed after the year and before the sun.

तडितोऽधि वरुणः सम्बन्धात्

taḍito'dhi varuṇaḥ sambandhāt

After lightning comes Varuna, because of the connection between them. Lightning and rain belong together, so Varuna, lord of waters, follows lightning on the path.

आतिवाहिकास्तल्लिङ्गात्

ātivāhikāstalliṅgāt

Flame, day and the rest are conducting deities (ativahikas), as the marks in scripture show. They are not landmarks or worlds but guides who lead the soul onward.

उभयव्यामोहात्तत्सिद्धेः

ubhayavyāmohāttatsiddheḥ

This is established because both the soul and the stages are unconscious of themselves. The departed soul has its senses withdrawn and the stages are insentient, so conscious guides must lead.

वैद्युतेनैव ततस्तच्छ्रुतेः

vaidyutenaiva tatastacchruteḥ

From there the soul is led by the person belonging to lightning, for scripture says so. A non-human purusha comes from the region of lightning and leads the soul to Brahman.

कार्यं बादरिरस्य गत्युपपत्तेः

kāryaṃ bādarirasya gatyupapatteḥ

Badari holds that the soul is led to the effected Brahman, Hiranyagarbha, because going is possible only to a place. The next sutras give his view; acharyas read the whole debate on the goal differently.

विशेषितत्वाच्च

viśeṣitatvācca

And because of the qualification in scripture. The text speaks of 'worlds of Brahman' in the plural, which suits a created realm, not the one infinite Brahman, says Badari.

सामीप्यात्तु तद्व्यपदेशः

sāmīpyāttu tadvyapadeśaḥ

But the name Brahman is applied to it because of its nearness. Hiranyagarbha is closest to the Supreme, so scripture may call his world Brahman, according to Badari's view.

कार्यात्यये तदध्यक्षेण सहातः परमभिधानात्

kāryātyaye tadadhyakṣeṇa sahātaḥ paramabhidhānāt

At the dissolution of the effected world, the soul goes with its ruler to what is higher than it, for so scripture declares. This is krama-mukti, gradual release at the end of the cycle.

स्मृतेश्च

smṛteśca

And because smriti also says so. The Puranas state that at the great dissolution all who dwell with Brahma, their minds purified, enter the supreme abode together with him.

परं जैमिनिर्मुख्यत्वात्

paraṃ jaiminirmukhyatvāt

Jaimini holds that the soul is led to the Supreme Brahman, because that is the primary meaning of the word Brahman. The word should be taken in its main sense unless forced otherwise.

दर्शनाच्च

darśanācca

And because scripture shows it. The Katha speaks of the one rising through the crown nadi as attaining immortality, which belongs to the Supreme alone, says Jaimini.

न च कार्ये प्रतिपत्त्यभिसंधिः

na ca kārye pratipattyabhisaṃdhiḥ

And the resolve 'I go to the hall of Prajapati' does not refer to the effected Brahman. Jaimini reads that prayer in the Chandogya as aimed at the Supreme.

अप्रतीकालम्बनान्नयतीति बादरायण उभयथादोषात्तत्क्रतुश्च

apratīkālambanānnayatīti bādarāyaṇa ubhayathādoṣāttatkratuśca

Badarayana says the guide leads those who do not meditate through symbols, since both views have flaws, and one attains what one meditated on. Acharyas differ on whether this goal is Hiranyagarbha's world or the Supreme Lord.

विशेषं च दर्शयति

viśeṣaṃ ca darśayati

And scripture shows a difference for symbol meditations. Meditating on name and the rest as Brahman brings limited fruits, each with its own range, not the path to Brahman.